《教育目標》為積極培育我國海洋生態與保育所需之研究、教學及行政決策人才。

The educational objectives of the IMEC are to cultivate research, teaching, and administrative decision-making talents needed for marine ecology and conservation in our country.

《發展方向重點》為研究國內外各式海洋生態環境與瞭解棲息蘊藏的海洋生物，以堅實的科學歷史資料回顧與整理，論證海洋生態環境的變遷，並針對因人為高度工商發展，所造成無可避免的生態衝擊，提供最佳的海洋生態保育措施及策略。

The development focus of the IMEC are to study various marine ecological environments domestically and internationally, and understand along with the marine organisms inhabiting them. We aim to provide solid scientific historical data to review and demonstrate changes in marine ecological environments, and to offer optimal conservation measures and strategies in response to the inevitable ecological impacts of high industrial and commercial development.

《發展期程目標》

A、短期目標（1-10年）
   將以瞭解並提供解決臺灣目前周邊海域各式工商發展所衍生之海洋生態遭受衝擊的議題為主。其中，首要投入努力的議題，為配合國家非核家園，尋求綠色替代能源開發的離岸風電建置。目前規劃在2025年前要建置的千架風機場址，位於濁水溪口北岸的雲彰隆起海域。此開發區域為水深不超過50公尺深的淺海沙泥底地形，為傳統底拖網及蝦拖網作業海域，當風機建置後，在沙泥底質中增加了立體的結構物雖不利於傳統的拖網作業，但因增加棲所的多樣性，也會增加礁岩性的海洋生物。漁民雖無法進行拖網作業，但因風機基座的魚礁效應使大型高價礁岩性魚類的聚集，成為可開創運動休閒漁業的商機。這種大型海事工程建設，同時創造多樣性的海洋生態環境的研究，在過去只有在溫帶地區的北海有過經驗，在熱帶及亞熱帶地區仍屬首例。因此，本所的成立將集中全部研究能量，為臺灣此重大國家建設提供離岸風機海域海洋生物資源演替的科學證據，以利研擬海洋資源培育管理及漁業商機發展的策略。此外，發展出的研究方法及成果，亦可為其他同緯度國家開發的參考依據。
A. Short-term objectives (1-10 years):
    In the initial ten years of our institute's establishment, our focus will be on understanding and addressing the impacts of various industrial and commercial developments in the surrounding waters of Taiwan on marine ecology. A primary focus will be to support the national initiative for a non-nuclear homeland by seeking the development of offshore wind energy as a green alternative.Currently planned for completion by 2025, the offshore wind farm site with a thousand turbines is located in the Yun-Chia Rise offshore of the north bank of the Zhuo-Shui River estuary. This development area features shallow marine sandy bottoms with a depth not exceeding 50 meters, traditionally used for bottom trawling and shrimp trawling operations. While the installation of wind turbines disrupts traditional trawling operations by introducing vertical structures into the sandy substrate, it also enhances habitat diversity, attracting reef-associated marine organisms. Although fishermen may not engage in trawling operations, the fish aggregation around the turbine bases creates opportunities for sports and recreational fishing. This large-scale maritime construction project, simultaneously creating diverse marine ecological environments, has only been experienced in temperate regions such as the North Sea in the past, making it a pioneering endeavor in tropical and subtropical regions. Therefore, the establishment of our research institute will concentrate all research efforts to provide scientific evidence of marine biological resource succession in offshore wind turbine areas, facilitating the formulation of strategies for marine resource cultivation management and fisheries development opportunities. Additionally, the developed research methods and findings can serve as reference for other countries at similar latitudes.

B、中期目標（11-20年）
    將建立由前期研發成果的研究推展平台，提供跨國海域生態監測服務中心，建立國際研究品牌，期許成為未來其他國家因應風場開發所需回應的海域生態與保育課題之諮詢提供協助的中心。此外，本所亦將積極推展中山大學海洋科學系南海雙島研究中心（包括東沙和太平島）多年來的研究成果，針對珊瑚礁生態系保育關鍵物種進行復育，如硨磲貝、綠蠵龜及檸檬鯊等，並與南海島鏈國家積極合作，形成南海海洋生物及其生態系保全的網絡，成為南海海洋生態與生物保育研究的關鍵研究中心。
B. Medium-term objectives (11-20 years):
   During this phase, our institute will establish a research promotion platform based on the achievements of previous research and development. We aim to provide a transnational marine ecological monitoring service center, establish an international research brand, and aspire to become a center providing consultation and assistance for addressing marine ecological and conservation issues arising from wind farm developments for other countries in the future. Furthermore, our institute will actively promote the research achievements of the Sun Yat-sen University's South China Sea Islands Research Center (including the Dongsha and Taiping Islands) accumulated over many years. We will focus on the conservation of key species in coral reef ecosystems, such as giant clams, green sea turtles, and lemon sharks, and actively collaborate with countries in the South China Sea island chain to form a network for the conservation of marine organisms and ecosystems, becoming a key research center for marine ecological and biological conservation in the South China Sea.

C、長期目標（21-30年）
    地球上人類的未來在屬於內太空的海洋，本所成立之初是以科學研究協助解決臺灣周邊重大的海洋生態與保育課題為主，中期則自我期許成為南海島鏈國家不可或缺的海洋生態與保育研究中心，長期則更擴展，結合中山大學水下科技研究屢創佳績的深海無人載具的深海海域調查，加強這些海域的海洋生物多樣性的研究，包括深海生物的分類、生理生態及生物汙染指標等，建立全球性的海洋生態與保育的研究聲望。
C. Long-term objectives (21-30 years):
    The future of humanity on Earth lies in the ocean, belonging to the internal space. Initially, our institute was established to assist in solving significant marine ecological and conservation issues surrounding Taiwan through scientific research. In the medium term, we aim to become an indispensable research center for marine ecology and conservation in countries in the South China Sea island chain. In the long term, we will expand further, integrating the achievements of Sun Yat-sen University's underwater technology research in the investigation of deep-sea areas using unmanned submersibles. We will strengthen research on the biodiversity of these marine areas, including the classification, physiological ecology, and biological pollution indicators of deep-sea organisms, establishing a global reputation in marine ecological and conservation research.